Clearing lot for a house - should I lumber the trees?

[mclear6]

I am planning on building a house on property that my wife inherited. We are planning on clearing at least 15 trees- mostly red oak and sugar maple, at least 80 years old (20" dia) I have been thinking about having the trees sent to a saw mill or have a portable saw mill come to the property to mill the lumber. Has any one had experience doing this. It is worth it? (not $, but time wise). We are planning to build a three car garage (one bay for the wife, one bay dedicated shop, and my car will be outside to create more work space), So I will have some space to stack, store and dry)


Any suggestions?


Hopefully, we will be clearing the lot this summer.

[Pappy]

Keep in mind that you are going to have to keep it stickered and stacked to dry at least a year. That could determine the amount you want to have sawn for your own use.

An option would be to trade a portion of the trees to a private mill for sawing your's. Even better would be to barter with one that has a kiln.

[Daryl]

Kind of depends on how the trees grew. If they were in an open lot with the branches growing from the trunk close to the ground your finished lumber will have a lot of knots.
Shade trees don't usually make good lumber.

[mclear6]

hillside woodlot

the property was purchase back in the 40's by my wife's grandfather. There is a huge beech 40" dia up on the hill that has initials and 1938 carved into it (this is outside the clearing zone). Lots red oak, white oak, and sugar maple. There is some norway maple and some hickory and a couple of smaller butternut/walnut.

[Wood_workur]

I'd cut them down yourself, pick out the good trees, and pay someone to come in with a portable saw mill. or better yet, have them come in, and split the lumber 50/50 you get free wood that just needs to be dried.

[Papa]

I talked to a couple of guys with bandsaw sawmills on trailers when I had a large oak removed last year. They would have sawn it up into lumber for not much more than I had to pay to have it hauled off (it had Ambrosia beatles and I wanted to get them off the property). If I had some large hard maple trees to take down, I wouldn't hesitate to have one of them come and saw them up.

I grew up in a sawmill camp in Arkansas. In the 40's, the companies stached the green lumber on stacking sticks in the open and let it cure for a year. Air dried Southern Pine was considered superior to kiln dried lumber by the entire industry then.

Warren

[poolhound]

I have to say I am envious. Living here in the desert we have no such trees. If I cut down anything in my yard all I would have to work with is queen palms and a 5" thick Mesquite!!

If you have to cut them down anyway you cant let somebody else just haul them away (especially as you will have to pay for this). They will proabbaly either be cut up for firewoood or somebody else will sell them on to a mill and you will probably end up buying back your own wood a year later.

I like the idea of doing a trade. Maybe one of the mills will take them in exchange for already dry lumber.

Jon

[mclear6]

thank you for all of the input

Thank you for everyone's input. I like the idea of making things with wood that came from the property. I have a list of sawmills in the area, I guess the next step is to start calling and finding out if anyone wants to trade service for wood.

I was surprised how many sawmills were still working in Northern NJ.